One of the most commonly asked questions I receive are “How did you grow your hair so long?” so today I’m going to share a few of my tips for growing long, strong hair. A big factor in this is surely genetics, and I know that plays a part in how I’m able to grow and maintain such long hair, so while we can’t change our genetics, although that would be nice, I’ll share with you the hair care tips that I use that aren’t related to genes, and I’ll answer a few of the most commonly asked questions about my hair, hair care, and more.
Read my guide to haircare, and more about my haircare routine, here.
Q: What is your hair type?
A: I have a mix of 2C – 3B hair. The hair around the base of my head and around my ears is significantly curlier than the hair on top of my head, which tends to be a bit flatter. While my hair is a medium thickness, the curls can make it really, really thick looking sometimes.
Q: Is your hair naturally curly, or do you curl it?
A: My hair is naturally curly, but because I have such a wide range of “curliness” naturally, I curl my hair most days to make it consistent, sleeker, and more manageable.
Q: Which curling iron do you use?
A: I generally use this iron. I love it because it has interchangeable heads, meaning I can pack on curling iron with the heads I want to take with me, so I save room in my suitcase when traveling.
Q: How did you grow your hair out so long?
A: As I mentioned above, part of it is genetics. I also don’t have a lot of hair cut off at once, maybe just a few inches, and I only cut my hair 2-3 times a year. In between hair cuts, I trim my hair myself to remove any spit ends, and I make sure to moisturize my roots with intense hair conditioners and hair masks to keep it healthy.
I also try to eat a balanced diet, I take vitamins like biotin, vitamin E, Vitamin A, and Vitamin B, plus a multi-vitamin, so that my body has the materials it needs to grow long, healthy hair. You can’t build a house without the proper building materials, just like your body can’t grow anything, like hair, without the proper vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. Treat your body well, eat a healthy, balanced diet, and take supplements that you may be lacking in your diet to compensate for any “holes” in your diet.
Q: Which hair products do you use and recommend for growing hair out?
A: I use a variety of hair care products, and I like to mix them up based on my needs. Just like our bodies, our hair requires a varied diet to be healthy, so don’t be afraid to use 2-5 different conditioners and mix them together or rotate which ones you use.
This is my favorite detangled spray. It makes brushing out my curly hair much easier, prevents breakage, and also prevents split ends from brushing. I’ve used this for years, and it’s really improved the health of my hair, especially since I don’t cut my hair very often.
Q: What type of hair masks do you use?
A: Every month, I mash up an avocado, 2-3 tbs of Manuka honey, and 2-3 tbs of coconut oil and I coat my hair in the mixture before I shower. I let it sit for 20-30 minutes, and then I wash my hair as normal. I follow it up with an apple cider vinegar hair rinse, and my hair feels so soft, and is much more manageable.
Q: Have you ever had short hair, or will you cut it short in the future?
A: When I was little I had hair that was about shoulder length. I don’t think I will have short hair as an adult, because my long hair is important to me for cultural reasons, and I simply just like having my hair long. While I absolutely love the look of short hair on other people, I don’t think I could ever pull off short hair myself, and I think it might traumatize me if it was ever too short!
Q: Do you have any haircare techniques that helped grow out your hair?
A: I brush very gently, and never pull at my hair. The detangled spray I mentioned above helps tremendously with this. I use a wide bristled bamboo brush to gently detangle my hair, a wide tooth comb would work well too. I always use heat protectant sprays when I style my hair, because if my hair is soft, strong and healthy, I don’t have to worry about cutting it as often. I also never wash my hair with hot water, I use cool or cold water to close the hair follicle which makes my hair smoother, silkier, and healthier. By taking care of the hair you do have, you won’t have to cut it so often, which means you can grow out your hair worry-free!
Q: Do you dye your hair? If so, what do you ask for at the salon to get your hair color and highlights?
A: I’ve actually never dyed my hair, it’s my natural color. Any highlights that you may see in photos are probably from being out in the sun haha. Although, I have had a couple of white hairs pop up over the last year, so maybe someday I will experiment with coloring my hair and try out some new looks. I’m definitely not opposed to dying my hair, I’ve just never had a very strong desire to cover up my reddish-brown hair.
What other questions do you have for me? Feel free to email me your questions at anniewearsit@gmail.com, and they may be included in an upcoming Q&A!
xAnnie Fairfax
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My hair color as a teenager was close to yours – maybe a little darker. Today it’s almost all white. (I’m 54!.) I do color it – I feel like it makes me look younger. I have started coloring it a dark blonde color with highlights. I feel like it makes the regrowth the less obvious. Enjoy your dark color! You and your hair are both beautiful!!!